Wanaka college aspiring to achieve at Maadi
Just two Mount Aspiring College rowers are set to compete at Maadi but, they warn, it would be a mistake to ignore them.
Mount Aspiring College are coming into Maadi oars a’ blazing – even if they are going to be one of the smaller contingents.
Just two rowers from Wanaka in the deep south are making the trip north to Karapiro this year – both on the back of a stellar showing at the South Island Championships.
Riley Bruce took out the boy’s u17 single sculls while Riley Homan qualified in good time for the girl’s u17 single sculls, which was cancelled due to weather conditions.
Coach Rob Bruce, Riley’s father, noted that travel costs put off the rest of the school’s rowers.
“The two rowers are the best performed students,” he said of Bruce and Homan.
“The remaining squad members have decided that the trip north is too expensive to make lesser finals.”
Riley Bruce comes into the event as one of the rowers to beat, having taken out the boy’s u16 single sculls title in the past two Maadi Cup regattas.
The team have been training hard in preparation for the event, six mornings a week, either on the water or rowing machines.
Coach Bruce believes his two-person team will perform well at the regatta, but is not going to push them beyond their limits.
“[My] expectations [are] simple,” Bruce said.
“Row fast and be the best they can be. Focus on the process, row mistake free.”
Both Bruce and Homan will be rowing in the respective u17 and u18 single sculls events, with Coach Bruce sending a warning to other schools.
“I believe they are ready to row fast at the Maadi cup regatta.”
